The Child of Hope and Prophecy
by FantasyLight
Summary: As the sole survivors of the 4th Great Shinobi War, Kurama and Naruto decide to make things at the very least a bit better by travelling to the past. Flung back to a time he hardly remembers with only Kurama at his side, Naruto resolves to change things as much as he can. He absolutely refuses to lose everything again.


**Disclaimer:** The story of Naruto does not belong to me nor do I profit from writing this story.

* * *

'Is it over, Kurama?'

A pause followed for several moments as Naruto strained to hear a response over the cackling flames surrounding him. A bitter chuckle was offered as a reply.

'Hey Kit,'

'Yeah?'

'It's over. Kaguya's gone. The horrid bitch is finally gone. You did it.'

'We did it you Rama. Don't forget that you're my partner. Our accomplishments are one and the same," Naruto mumbled as his vision began to fail him. He was so tired. Tired of fighting a losing battle, tired of losing everyone important to him, tired of everything…

'Don't you dare think of dying on me Naruto,' Kurama growled as he felt Naruto begin flirting with death. 'You have gone through too much to give up now!'

Naruto laughed breathlessly. 'There's nothing left Rama. It's just you and me now, what kind of life is that? At least we managed to avenge everyone.'

'Think, you simple minded Namikaze! You are a child of prophecy, whether you choose to believe it or not that means something,' Kurama snapped. 'You are a blessed child. If there was ever a time for you to plead to the deities, the time is now.'

Naruto's mind reeled back at Kurama's words. 'What do you mean by deities?'

Kurama rolled his eyes. 'I'm an entity of chakra. Hagoromo and his family were extraterrestrial beings. Do you really think deities were something out of the norm? Don't be so foolish, it doesn't suit you in the least.'

Naruto spluttered. 'What do you expect me to do? I have no idea how to call upon a deity!'

'I do believe I mentioned that biju can bend time as a last resort before,' Kurama stated dryly. 'Obviously, I'm telling you to prove you're an Uzumaki and ensure that physically our existences won't disappear before the jutsu is complete. You'll be the saving light as a child of prophecy, just ask for the blessing of fate and family.'

Naruto shook his head as tears fell from his eyes. 'What's the point? Won't everything end up the same? I can't go through all of that again.'

Kurama nearly snarled. 'Fate can be altered as you well know. Even if you can't stop the war, you can at least prevent the deaths of many people. Aren't you the one that said you would protect everyone? Are you now telling me that you would pass up this opportunity to try and extend your godfather's life even if it is only by a year?'

Naruto froze at the mention of Jiraiya. No one's death had affected him as much as the death of his godfather. It had been so sudden and had hurt him more than he was willing to admit. He had despised Tsunade for letting him go to Amegakure by himself. He had despised Kakashi and Yamato for keeping him busy so he wouldn't have time to ask where Jiraiya gone. He had despised them all for not telling him Jiraiya was his godfather even after he had died.

Gritting his teeth at the immediate wave of hope that surged his body, Naruto opened his pouch and took out a kunai and his ink. Mixing blood into his ink expertly, Naruto then began to draw a complex seal on the ground. There were various components to it that would look like gibberish to most people, but to him it was a way to right so many wrongs.

'I'm ready.'

'I'm restricted to the time of your existence, so don't expect me to be able to send us back to when your father is still a jōnin sensei or something outrageous like that,' Kurama warned. 'Is there any point in your life, you wish to appear in. Keep in mind that the earlier we arrive the better, since there will undoubtedly be cosmic changes to the world we know because of our interference.'

After staring blankly at the ground Naruto answered. 'To whatever point you deem necessary. I trust you Kurama.'

With a smile Kurama took control of Naruto's psyche and focused the blond's chakra on the seal. As he neared the end of the available chakra, he began transferring his own demonic chakra into the seal. Grinning wildly, he simultaneously began to cloak Naruto with his chakra as well as a precaution.

'Let's hope this works,' he prayed at the back of his mind.

With a flash of light and an earth shattering seismic movement, Naruto vanished into thin air.

* * *

"You have interfered with life," a woman scolded.

Kurama locked onto the deceptively small woman before him and silently nodded. While normally he would have snapped back an insult, he could feel the sheer power radiating off of the silver haired beauty before him. He did have some sense of self-preservation.

"Why have you interfered? Your powers are to be used sparingly and not for one's selfish desires."

Kurama curled his lip in distaste. "The war left no one but my partner. Is it not better for him to go back and at the very least attempt to change the world's fate?"

The woman pursed her lips. She knew that things had not gone as they were meant to, but she didn't like people mindlessly trying to correct things. That usually made things worse. "What do you hope to achieve by doing this?"

"Naruto may have once been simple minded but when he matured, it was not just physically. His mind matured and he got a better grasp of his emotions," Kurama began. "We might not have gotten along at first, but we managed to move past all the hostility and now we work together fluidly. That however doesn't mean that Naruto is useless without me."

"Oh?"

"People often underestimated Naruto. They compared him far too much to his parents simply because he looked like his mother with his father's coloring. Naruto is actually quite formidable by himself but he never showed it in fear that people will either claim I possessed him or that he owed all of his success to the inherent ability he received from his father," Kurama explained. "Honestly, if there was a way for me to make him his own person physically, I would but I can't."

"Every child is a reflection of their parents," the woman stated.

Kurama shook his head. "I wouldn't say that applies to Naruto. He grew up as an unwanted orphan that none of the adults bothered to care for despite knowing the difficulties he faced on a daily basis. His godfather was kept from him and while he could have fought against it he didn't because he too was hurting. Naruto grew up learning to hide his feelings, he grew up knowing how to lie effortlessly, he grew up well-read and well-learned. In all honesty Naruto is a genius."

The woman raised an eyebrow. "A genius? Most people would say such a child is a prodigy."

"A prodigy is just someone who can effortlessly pick up what others can do or know. While Naruto can do that, I classify him a genius because he finds ways to better what he learns. He always sets himself apart and refuses to conform to what the world accepts as highly advanced," Kurama answered. "If he was actually given the opportunity, Naruto could easily have become a recognized shinobi. However, between my youki hampering him at every turn because of the seal and the hatred he received for being a jinchūriki it was impossible."

"And you think this time will be different?" the woman prodded.

Kurama shrugged. "Who knows? Naruto can be legendary if allowed, he can become an unsung hero if he is forced to, or he can be disastrous if people make it so. You can never predict where one's life will go but you can take steps to guide it in a positive path."

The woman smiled at his words. She didn't agree with the meddling but she did like that those meddling had a head on their shoulders.

"I shall allow it and accommodate you as much as possible. Some things will be new and some things will occur while others will not because of what I change. I cannot say what will be different and what will remain the same but I can tell you the most immediate."

"Yes?" Kurama inquired with hopeful eyes.

"Naruto Namikaze will be a new person yet will remain the same. Abilities he once had will be gone while abilities he never thought himself capable of will be a part of him this time around."

Kurama frowned, "What do you mean by that?"

"Humans are a reflection of their family. Some things are always present while other things are lost with time. It is not unheard of for certain family traits to reappear with the birth of a new child," the woman answered vaguely. "I trust that you will help him with the knowledge you have attained over the decades?"

"Always," Kurama answered without hesitation.

"The dedication you have for each other is impressive. Know that you will be rewarded for it. But remember what may be true for the two of you may or may not be true for others. I will judge as I see fit both from memories of old and the actions of you both," the unnamed woman said. "For now, I shall allow you both to go back to where you feel it necessary. Goodbye young kitsune."

* * *

_In the past, now present_

'Brat.'

'Open your eyes brat.'

'Naruto!

'Goddamn it! Wake up brat, before it is too late! '

Naruto woke with a jolt and widened his eyes in disbelief. 'Why?'

'You said you trusted me didn't you?' Kurama asked quietly.

'Yeah, but-'

'I couldn't go so back as to save them but at least this time you'll be able to say goodbye,' Kurama whispered as he retreated into his cage and gave Naruto his privacy.  
Naruto looked around him and found himself in the arms of his parents who were moments away from death. He wasn't sure if he was thankful to Kurama or if he wanted to break down and futilely attempt to kill him for making him witness such an event.

"Naruto make sure you grow up healthy and strong. Don't ever let people put you down. You are the son of the Yellow Flash and The Red Hot-Blooded Habanero. There's no doubt in my mind that you'll be a great shinobi. It's in your blood. Don't drink excessively and never drink before you are of age. Be cautious of women or men and their intentions. Your true love will never ask you to change who you are. They will love you wholly despite your flaws."

Naruto cooed at the woman and tugged her arm sleeve, giving her a bright smile.

"Listen to your mother Naruto. You'll be a great shinobi, even greater than me. Just remember to keep a cool head at all times. Sometimes it's hard to separate personal and professional matters but it is necessary," Minto spoke. "Compromise is often the solution to most problems, especially in the shinobi world. Keep that in mind Naru-chan, not everything can go your way. That reminds me, try not to eat so much ramen. I know it's in your genes but even your mom eats vegetables here and there. Right, Kushina?"

"Right, they aren't so bad Naruto, I promise," Kushina quipped with a tired smile.

"Always remember Naru-chan that we love you. No matter what you do in life, we'll always be proud of you. Please forgive us for leaving you so soon," they both told the small infant in their arms.

Naruto took in the emotion and silently began shedding tears. Both old and new emotions bubbled to the surface before he could suppress them.

'I'm sorry. I'm sorry I can't save you. But I promise I'll be the greatest shinobi ever. I'll surpass you both and leave a legacy in my wake. I'll make you proud and I'll become the greatest Hokage that ever lived. I'll be sure to keep Ero-sennin, Itachi, Gaara, and everyone else safe. I'll make sure to bring Kashi-nii out of his emotional void. I'll try to save Hizashi and Neji, I'll help Hinata with her family, I'll try to save the Uchiha from their own ego before they get themselves killed, I'll try to do something about the stupid mummy Danzo and the pedophilic snake. I'll be sure to get Baa-chan back to the village and into the hospital. I'll try to protect those precious to me. I promise to make this village great again and bring peace. I promise. I love you too, more than you'll ever know. Goodbye~' Naruto recited in his mind until he felt his parents pass on.

Knowing he was all alone now, he cried.

He cried at the loss of his parents and his inability to save them.

* * *

Being an infant was odd, Naruto decided.

He had no control over his body and he had no real connection with his chakra. The lack of control had been disconcerting at first but Kurama's reassurances that it would only be for a bit were comforting.

When he had finally begun to have some control over his own body, he wondered if he would be able to manage to crawl and walk faster than other infants. In theory he knew how unlike a newborn baby so he resolved to attempt it.

At three months, Naruto had finally managed to work out how to crawl without stumbling. The new movement brought him some peace. It was progress. It also helped that the Sandaime had gushed and said that he was three months ahead of schedule.

At five months, Naruto became increasingly uncomfortable with his nappy changes. He hadn't minded before because his infant body would demand a lot of sleep. Now that his body was allowing him to stay up longer, the nappy changes were utterly humiliating to say the least. Knowing he couldn't quite do anything about it just yet since he was already busy with the task of sitting up, he took it in stride as best he could. Kurama simply snickered at him behind his back.

At eight months, Naruto amazed the aged Hokage by taking his first steps while he was recording him with a camera. Kurama called him a show-off but Naruto was too inordinately pleased to be bothered by the comments. He had never thought he would miss walking so much.

At ten months, Naruto became a bit worried. While he didn't remember his original infant life, he did remember certain ANBU members talking about how they used to take care of him as a baby. The disconcerting thing about that was that he had yet to see an ANBU; the only person he ever saw was the Sandaime. He couldn't help but wonder if that was one of the changes Kurama had mentioned.

* * *

The day of his first birthday, Naruto had finally managed to slip into his mindscape for the first time once his small celebration with the Sandaime came to an end. The eerie sight of a damp sewer served as a reminder that he was nowhere near the level of emotional stability he had been in the future.

Curling up on top of the paw that Kurama had lying out of his cage; Naruto pondered his body's conditions. There was physical strength, intelligence, agility, speed, chakra reserves, chakra control, stealth, stamina, and his emotional mentality.

He was not worried about his intelligence since he had his adult mind which still held information on the shinobi arts, history, village functions, government, alliances, battle strategies, the personalities of people, and the knowledge of the future.

He was also not completely worried about his chakra reserves. Kurama had already managed to attune to Naruto's infant body again and had assured him that his chakra reserves were just as massive as they had been the first time around. Although the fact that Kurama had mentioned that there was no youki in his chakra system worried him.

While he did not know a lot about iryō ninjutsu, he did remember everything Tsunade had discovered after giving him a thorough examination.

_Flashback_

_"So you're saying the youki is a double-edged sword?" Naruto asked with a tilt of his head._

_Tsunade crossed her arms under her chest and nodded sharply. "The youki in your chakra system hampers your chakra control which is why you pour such large amounts into your techniques. It is also the cause of your seemingly endless stamina. However, while your heart and lungs have prospered with the youki of the Kyūbi, all of your other organs are slowly degrading."_

_Naruto remained quiet at Tsunade's words. He had wondered of course. Despite his stamina, as he grew older he had begun to feel tired and weak. It hadn't been that hard to hazard a guess that his kidneys weren't properly cleaning his blood. It wasn't difficult to believe that all of his other organs were in a similar state._

_"Naruto, if things continue like this you are going to die," Tsunade whispered._

_Forcing a smile on his face, Naruto scratched the back of his head. "Baa-chan, a shinobi never knows when his time will come. So long as they do as much as they can to keep their precious people safe and sound, then they have lived a fulfilled life!"_

_End Flashback_

Naruto forced himself back to the present as he recalled Tsunade bursting into tears at his proclamation. He didn't want to remember the busty blonde that way. Shaking his head, he went back to his original thoughts.

Without another thorough examination by Tsunade, he had no idea what the absence of Kurama's youki would result in. He couldn't risk anyone examining him too closely until he had a better handle of his body physically and could track his own health over the course of a few years. It wouldn't do for someone to decide he was too unhealthy to be a shinobi before he even got started.

"Look at the seal, brat."

Kurama's voice startled Naruto out of his thoughts and he looked to the great fox questioningly. Kurama just snorted and made a vague motion that Naruto interpreted as 'the one on your navel, genius.'

Frowning at the lack of reasoning, Naruto discarded his shirt knowing that his seal would be active within his mindscape, only to stare at the seal in surprise. In place of his seal, there was a circle with six black magatama evenly spaced attached to it. Each magatama had a different symbol and in a counterclockwise motion they were Naraka, Preta, Animal, Asura, Human, and Deva.

"That Cycle of Samsara," Naruto whispered before he began to splutter. "Why do I have this? I don't have the Rinnegan! Shouldn't Nagato have something like this?"

Kurama stared at the new seal with a thoughtful frown. He recalled the female deity mentioning that they would be judged and she would change things accordingly, not to mention her casual utterance of him being rewarded somehow. He supposed this new seal had something to do with one or the other but without knowing how the seal functioned, he was at a loss.

"Kurama surround me with your chakra," Naruto demanded.

"Are you mad?" Kurama snarled. "That old monkey will think I'm trying to possess you."

Naruto huffed. "I could have said that better. What I meant was pump a miniscule amount of chakra into me, I can't channel my chakra just yet and I want to see how this new seal reacts."

Kurama blinked in realization and did as told. As soon as his chakra entered Naruto's chakra network, the magatama shone brightly and revealed a different seal overlay in each one. Kurama couldn't make heads or tail of any of it but he could see Naruto's eyes branding it all to memory. After about ten minutes, Naruto told him to stop with a pensive look on his face.

"What's the verdict?" Kurama asked briskly.

"The overlay for each magatama is subtly different but essentially they are all complex matrices with different functions. The Naraka overlay is a matrix that looks like an altered version of a seal used in iryō ninjutsu. In theory, it should help me cope emotionally by helping me stabilize any emotional stress I might be experiencing," Naruto said. "I have no idea why that would be in place though."

Kurama flicked his tails and said, "With your original seal, every time you were under emotional stress, you drew on my chakra without restraint. While you have your adult mind and are likely to be able to handle your emotions better, it is just as likely that you would let your emotions get the better of you in the heat of a battle or argument."

Naruto frowned. "I disagree. Acting that brashly would be foolish."

"Maybe so, but you can't deny the possibility of it occurring. You literally have knowledge of the future, kit. Knowing what you know, can you honestly say that you wouldn't go against that silver haired sensei of yours because you think your plan is better," Kurama tutted, smirking when he saw Naruto scowl. "It also stands to reason that that particular matrix is what has been helping you cope with the grief that accompanies your vivid memories of the war."

Ignoring Kurama's suddenly brilliant insight, Naruto continued with his explanation. "The Preta overlay is a matrix that should help facilitate the process of me absorbing natural energy. Essentially, once I have access to my chakra again I should be able to passively train my body to absorb natural energy. The Animal overlay is a matrix that unless I am interpreting incorrectly, should allow me access to the fox summons."

"There is no fox summons. I made sure of that," Kurama deadpanned.

"Tell that to the Animal matrix," Naruto sniffed arrogantly before he wrung his hands together nervously. "We won't know until I can access my chakra again and have a semblance of chakra control. If there is a fox summons now, it is probably one of those universal changes that we expected to occur."

"What else?" Kurama asked, not really wanting to go into detail about what a fox summons could potentially mean.

"The matrix in the Asura magatama is similar to the Naraka one in that it seems like an altered seal for iryō ninjutsu. As far as I can tell it should in theory help me develop physically at a much faster rate and should help me be as healthy as possible even if I am not properly fed," Naruto explained. "I think that was most likely put into place because of my memories growing up and having to go days without food."

"What about the last two seals?"

"The Human matrix is to help me keep my memories organized and to keep the strain from so much information in my developing mind virtually nonexistent," Naruto said.

"The Deva matrix is the one that confuses me. From what I could make of it, I saw the depictions of pain, loss, happiness, rebirth, life, death, and the elements. I honestly have no idea what that is for."

The silence that stretched following Naruto's words was deafening.

* * *

_2 years later_

Naruto stared at his new appearance expressionlessly. Kurama had told him that he looked very different when he realized that he had not looked into a mirror once but he still couldn't believe it.

His new hair had beautiful golden hues and gave him an elegant look. Despite it being his now natural hair color, it was such a far cry from the blinding sunny blond hair he had had before. While undoubtedly a tempered golden blond color, it was mildly darker at the roots and had natural streaks that just gave his hair more depth.

The style was also something he could appreciate. It was long but it was cut short on top, with two locks that went a little past the base of his neck framing either side of his face and a bold lock that reached the end of his nose falling at the center of his face to his left.

To add to his shock, his face was no longer the spitting image of his mother with his father's masculinity. Gone was the heavily tanned and whiskered skin replaced with fair, unblemished rosy-pale skin. In addition his face was now a bit more androgynous and delicate, and in all honesty reminded him of the Hyūga family, specifically Neji and Tokuma. His cheekbones were higher; his nose smaller and straighter; his once thin lips were a bit fuller; and his jawline was straight and strong but looked deceptively delicate. His eyes, on the other hand, were a mirror image of the shape Kurama's eyes took when he had briefly forced his body to mimic a human form. They were so similar to a fox's and were decorated with thick long eyelashes. The fact that Naruto apparently now had heterochromia iridum with an ocean blue left right eye and violet right eye made his eyes all the more alluring.

"I told you that you looked different," Kurama chimed in after allowing Naruto to stare at himself for a while.

Naruto nodded absentmindedly. "I know but I thought it would be because I was young. But now that I've seen myself, it is obvious that I'm going to look entirely different as I get older."

Kurama hummed before he spoke with only the slightest hint of hesitance. "That woman I met said you would be a different person. She mentioned something about 'children being a reflection of their family and lost family traits reappearing.'"

"Whose family?" Naruto voiced. "As far as I know my father's clan had all kinds of people, there was no set appearance that people could expect from them. And the Uzumaki's were known for the red hair and round face, I have none of that!"

Kurama clicked his tongue in annoyance. "And tell me kit, just where did the Uzumaki and Namikaze Clans come from?"

Naruto blinked at the fox and slowly answered, "The Ōtsutsuki Clan for the Uzumaki and the Namikaze were a clan that derived from the Kaguya Clan."

"Exactly," Kurama stressed. "In case you have forgotten, the Kaguya Clan also descends from the Ōtsutsuki Clan as well. Now, knowing that and keeping in mind that you have a seal with six magatama and you are quite literally the reincarnation of the youngest of the old man, look over your appearance again."

Naruto looked at his reflection again and tried to conjure up images of the Ōtsutsuki Clan members but came up blank. Eventually, Kurama got tired of waiting and spoke.

"Your hair, although a different color, is the spitting image of the oldest son of the old man and your facial features are a mirror image of the old man's brother. And finally your soul, as I mentioned before, is that of the old man's youngest son," Kurama snapped irritably. "Your eye color is evenly split between your father and mother, your eye shape is a reflection of me, and your blond hair is a reflection of your old life. You have been reborn as a model of reincarnation: life and death, past and present."

"Oh," Naruto voiced. He stared at himself and broke down his appearance, silently confirming what Kurama had pointed out before he broke into a serene smile. "I think it suits me. Don't you think?"

Kurama regarded him silently and nodded. "You are no longer the intelligent shinobi hiding underneath a mask of hyper activeness and stupidity. You are now an intelligent shinobi with a clear goal in mind and more self-confidence. From now on you mark your own path and not in the footsteps of your godfather, father, or mother."

* * *

Naruto looked at his appearance with a bright smile.

He had taken a more traditional approach to his clothing and wore a sky blue short shirt kimono and matching pants. He complimented the look with a simple black obi and a pair of plain black zori. In all honesty he planned on carrying the look well into the chūnin exams, with perhaps only a change in color when he became a genin.

'Brat, I know you don't like hearing it, but happy birthday. Another year has come and you have survived.'

Naruto cracked a smile in spite of himself, 'I don't like it, but for what it's worth, thanks.'

'Where do we go from here?' Kurama asked. 'You have steadily been progressing in your training. So far all the changes seem to be working for you. Your chakra control is on par with that large breasted blonde you are so fond of.'

Naruto nearly choked at the insinuation that he actually had chakra control comparable to Tsunade. It was evident it was better than before, definitely better than Sakura and Hinata but he wasn't so sure about Tsunade.

'I don't know in all honesty. Jiji still has me hidden away in this apartment and shows no sign of announcing my existence to anyone. It's really weird considering that by this time last time, I was already given an apartment and an ANBU guard all day. Now that I think about it, I wonder if the council pushed Jiji to do so. After all, I sincerely doubt Jiji would leave a three year old to his own devices even with an ANBU detail.'

'Well it was expected that something like this would happen. We could probably use this to our advantage though. Based on the lack of attacks here, your more serious training in the near future should be more productive.'

'Well I'm supposed to start the academy when I turn five, so I imagine Jiji has some type of plan for my introduction to the village. That gives us about two years to get ready. I need to be at least mid-chūnin level before I start the academy. With any luck, if I pull a Kakashi the teachers will want to get rid of me and will let me take the graduation exam after a year.'

'About that…'

"Damn it. Rama, should I be aware of something?" Naruto groaned as he entered his mindscape and leveled a stern look at the great fox.

Kurama rolled his eyes from his spot on the grass as he sniffed indignantly. 'Well, I didn't tell you before because obviously you were in the form of a baby so you wouldn't be able to do much no matter how hard you tried.'

'Tell me what?' Naruto asked impatiently.

"In case you haven't noticed, your body is adapting quite quickly to your natural movements when you train," Kurama said seriously making Naruto frown in confusion.

"What does that mean?"

"It's a wonder you were ever Hokage."

"Hey!"

"No need to get snippy," Kurama drawled before he gave Naruto his full attention. "What I mean is that your body is adapting to your adult instincts and movements. For example, you already walk with grace and confidence just like you did when you were older. In fact, your movements are so measured and graceful that you have almost completely eliminated any sound when you walk."

Naruto's eyes widened at the information. He had truly not noticed any of that. Although it did explain why the Hokage gave him curious looks at times and why the ANBU that had finally showed up to be in charge of him would continuously look inside his home through the window. Silent footsteps were something most shinobi attained after years as jōnin or after joining ANBU.

"I see you realized it," Kurama noted. "It's the same when you train. Although your taijutsu is shaky, I imagine that is because your speed has improved radically. The style doesn't suit you anymore but your movements are fluid when you make your strikes sharper and quicker."

"That changes quite a bit," Naruto muttered as he realized that if he continued to rely in his old strengths he could end up sabotaging his own training. "Where do you think I stand in terms of strengths and whatnot?"

Kurama clicked his claws on the ground and carefully answered, "Your speed is definitely a new strength this time around. Your taijutsu looks good when you rely on quick but deadly strikes rather than the brutal kicks and punches you are accustomed to so that may also be a strength. Your chakra is still as strong as ever and your healing is still there so I have no doubt in mind that ninjutsu will continue to be a strength for you."

"But?" Naruto asked knowing there was something Kurama was not saying.

"I don't know if you've noticed but your stamina while still higher than average is less than what it used to be. I don't know if that is because you are still young but it is noticeable," Kurama said hesitantly.

Naruto nodded, not the least bit bothered by Kurama's words. He had noticed it but had not wanted to voice it. "What else?"

Kurama looked surprised for a moment but quickly masked it and continued. "Fūinjutsu will undoubtedly still be one of your strengths. You have the knowledge, you are working on your calligraphy already, and you have far better chakra control than before."

Naruto visibly perked up at the mention of his Uzumaki strength and nodded in agreement. He liked that he could still honor his mother's roots. "Anything else?"

"Given your body shape, quick movements, and dexterity I think kenjutsu would suit you this time around," Kurama offered much to Naruto's surprise. "Of course, the style you use would have to be based off of your speed and agility since hard-hitting movements don't seem to suit you anymore. Since you have a Fūton affinity, you will most than likely be able to incorporate it into your kenjutsu."

"Weaknesses?" Naruto asked.

"Genjutsu has always caused you trouble. You don't seem interested in it and your chakra may prove to be much too potent for the art. The upside I guess would be that I can detect genjutsu and break you out of them despite their level of power."

Naruto frowned but nodded. He only hoped he could still pull off the few genjutsu's he had learned and would be able to better detect them this time around.

"Iryō ninjutsu is something else that you don't seem to have an interest in, not that I blame you. Between your Uzumaki healing powers and my own, you have borderline regenerative abilities. Shurikenjutsu is something else you've always distanced yourself from," Kurama finished.

"So, taijutsu and kenjutsu based on speed, ninjutsu, fūinjutsu, strategy, and senjutsu," Naruto stated. "It's a good combination. Genjutsu isn't really my thing but I am willing to see if I can still pull off the few I learned. How soon do you think I can get my old jutsu's back?"

"Assuming you continue to train and your new chakra control, I would say that you can have the Rasengan fully formed by age ten. The Rasenshuriken is different but given that you know what to do in order to train your elemental affinity, you'll probably be able to create it by eleven."

"Eleven? Isn't that a bit too optimistic?" Naruto said skeptically.

"Not really, the base for it will be something you should drill through every day for as long as you can. By eleven you should be ready. However, whether you'll be able to throw it and control its direction as you did when you were older is unknown," Kurama explained. "The same can be said about your Hiraishin. It will depend on the amount of training you put into it and whether your body will be able to sustain it."

"I understand," Naruto replied with a small smile. "But it's not like I'll be using them anytime soon."

"If you for even a second think that you're going to act like an idiot to appease the villagers, I'll personally take over your mind and take you elsewhere. Understood?" Kurama suddenly snarled.

Naruto nodded furiously at the hostile fox. "Got it Rama."

"And for goodness sakes, practice your speaking more. It's very unsettling that you can speak like an adult in your mind, but in the physical world you still speak in broken sentences."

ooOOOooOOOooOOOoo

_1 week later_

'What do you think we should do?' Naruto asked as he lazed about his home.

'Obviously we start changing everything,' Kurama said in annoyance.

'Yeah, don't know if you noticed Rama but I'm three years old,' Naruto deadpanned.

'Your size has no correlation to your strength, so your reasoning is faulty.'

'Are you daft? A three year old should not even have access to their chakra yet!'

'Well aren't you flattering,' Kurama muttered sarcastically making Naruto smirk. 'Technically, you are three years and a month old and if no one asks you really don't have to tell them your true age. Besides, if memory serves both the Uchiha boy and Hatake were child prodigies, so you having some techniques up your sleeve won't be all that astonishing. Hatake should've started training at this age since he became a genin at five years old.'

'Kakashi's life aside, I sincerely doubt a three year old prodigy is normal.'

Kurama snarled in response but let the matter go. After all no one could win against Naruto's stubborn nature. 'If you don't want to do anything too noteworthy, then there is something that I have been considering for a few months now.'

'What?'

'The Hyūga meat bag you were so close with before, didn't you say you would save his father?' Kurama asked. 'When exactly did he die?'

Naruto blinked as he strained his memory to try to remember anything about Hizashi Hyūga and Kumogakure. After a few minutes, he shot up to his feet and began muttering frantically about saving a three year old Hinata from bullies and Kumo ambassadors at her birthday party later in the year.

Kurama didn't attempt to stop Naruto's muttered plans. He'd done more than enough by remembering the whole thing. If Naruto needed him, he would mention it later on when shit was about to hit the ceiling. Or so he desperately hoped.

* * *

A/N: I'm still getting everything ready for regular updates for all of my stories, so it will be a few days until I fall back on a comfortable updating schedule. A look at my profile will tell you how far I am along with the next chapter. I think I'll be updating this story on a weekly basis, but I am still not sure. Until next time!


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